Radiator enclosure



June 27, 1950 o, N IARIN. 2,512,661

RADIATOR ENCLOSURE Filed Oct. 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mn ll A IN V EN TOR. THU/W15 l1 MAR/NI H/s A TTURNEY June 27, 1950 MARlNl 2,512,661

RADIATOR ENCLOSURE Filed Oct. 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. THU/m5 U. MAR/NI WWW H/s A TTUR'NEY iatentecl June 27, 1950 RADIATOR ENCLOSURE Thomas 0. Marini, Camden, N. J., assignor to Marver Metal Mfg. 00., a corporation of Delaware Application October 11,-1946, Serial No. 702,737

7 Claims.

The invention relates to radiator enclosures or covers which completely house the radiator, and more particularly to an enclosure of the knock-down type.

Because of the bulk of a radiator enclosure, it is common practice to construct it of parts readily assembled. This construction effects economies in packaging, storage space, shipment, etc. However, it has certain disadvantages in that at the place of installation, unskilled labor is often employed which frequently introduces an assembly problem, particularly if tools are required.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a radiator enclosure of the knock-down type, characterized by simplicity of construction, ease of assembly with respect to time and tools required, etc.

Another object is the provision of a radiator enclosure having rounded corners at the front and forming an interlocking joint so that when the construction is assembled, a rugged enclosure is obtained.

A special object of the invention is the provision of a bracket device that may be formed as a unit by a dye operation and pre-fabricated as part of an end section adapted to form an interlocking joint with a wall section by merely bringmg the interlocking portions into engagement without the necessity of tools.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled radiator enclosure;

Figure 2 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of the enclosure;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation,

. showing a corner rest member for the top of the enclosure.

The radiator enclosure herein contemplated may be formed of separate parts made of sheet steel or other suitable material. The enclosure comprises a top I, a front and rear wall 2 and 3, respectively, and end panels 4 and 5. These parts are normally disassembled to save storage and shipping space. However, at the place of installation, they may be readily assembled by an un- 2 szkillled person and with the use of a few simple The front wall 2 may comprise a frame formed by top and bottom rails 1 and 8 respectively, which are secured at their ends to angle pieces 9 and w. A grill section 6 may be suitably secured to this frame by spotwelding or the like. It will be noted that the outside edges of the rails I and 8 and angle pieces 9 and Ill are provided with flanges bent at an angle of substantially ninety degrees. Attention may be directed to the fact that the height of the end panels 4 and 5 is somewhat greater than the width of thewalls 2 and 3, so that said walls may be supported from said. panels free from the floor, which arrangement will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The end panels 4 and 5 have rounded corners l I and [2 respectively, and each is provided with a bracket member, indicated generally by the reference character [3. This bracket member may be formed. of a single piece of sheet metal having a body section M, which terminates in side portions [5 and I6, bent at an obtuse angle to the body section M. The bracket member I3 is designed to fit into the rounded corners l I and I2 of the end panels 4 and 5, and the angularity of the side portions l5 and IS, with respect to the body portion [4 roughly determines the spacing of the bracket from said corners. That is to say, the less obtuse the angle of displacement of the side portions l5 and [6 to the body section 14, the closer the bracket may be placed with respect to the rounded corners, and vice versa, the 'more obtuse this angle, the further away will the bracket be located. Therefore, the geometry and dimensions of the bracket elements are important factors in designing the bracket from the standpoint of securing optimum results.

It will benoted that the body section M of the bracket [3 may be regarded as a strut member joining the side portions l5 and IS. The side portion I6 is of greater length than theside portion l5, inasmuch as the edge thereof is provided with a flange l1 reversely bent upon itself to form a groove 18, which arrangement constitutes a clip 20 adapted toreceive the flange IQ of the pieces 9 and I!) of the front wall .2.

It will be seen that the construction of the bracket l3 readily lends itself to a die stamping operation, and the bracket may be suitably welded to the end panels as a pre-fabricating step. From that standpoint, no assembly of the bracket is required as part of the installation of the radiator enclosure. The location of the bracket i, yplit 2 an 8- lfh T olts 'pa s,t t us 'frormedqn' th end-tends r d ii t apertures 3 I fare "formedf i the r'ear wall 3,. and as an eicpedientltoftakecare offslightjyaiiations 13 within the rounded corners of the several end panels is important in that the bracket is so mounted that the edge of the flange 2 l, extending laterally from the front wall 2, functions as a support therefor (see Figure 3). This will be explained more fully presently.

It will be noted that the ,spacing of the clip 20, formed by bending the flange I1 upon itself, is a substantial distance from the front' edge of each of the panels 4 and 5, thus providing an extension which produces an over-lapping of'the adjacent edges when the flange l9 'of'the' front wall is inserted into the groove of the clip 20. As

an expedient to insure fit offthe'fla'n'ge l9 Within the clip 20, the rite orprojecting edges of the panels are each provided with a, rolledover portion forming a head 21 which is designed to function as a pivotal point in holding the front wall 2 parallel to the rear wall 3 when the front wall is locke d into engagement withthe clips 20. Referring particularly to Figur'es' 2 and'j5, it will en edtha the ound corne s. lii n ll of the' end panels 4 and 5areea'ch provided with a, 'restp ate,23 The plates "23 "project outwardly from" said eorners and shaped to permit the j fittingof'the edge flange-portion 24 of the top ,thereover, when the top is in place; 'By having therestplates' 23 'project over the rounded corr; 1 of the end p'anels,'saidfplates"constitute a fsupportfforthe top Li Asi'sbustomaryjtheto l I may have a. filler of sheetfasbestos (riot' 'is'liown) held 'in'f place by any suitable retaining means,

' 'suchas' lfugs or'clips.

, In"t he,asse1ribly' of the radiator enclosure, one

' an'end of the wall section" flocked onto the I bracket I3 by inserting the flange} 9 int'ofengagemust nner, the

61 1, 0 t nw' in ed nee 6 1 attacii d'in clip 2B," forming finconStruc'tion, these aperturesmay'be dhlfl'll g so to permit more" accurate'alignm'entof the an anel itfit 'fr' a'rwa .t r a a From the foregoing'description', it will be ap- I. preciated' thatthe onl'yftool liieededfiii thejafs'sem: bly oiff the "ra'diatoi' enclosure is afscrewdriver ,foftighteriingth lt-"S125 and zs; Due to the simplicity jof constr'ubtion'gno' skill whatever is required on the part'ofthe personrnak'ingthe as sembly, and it obvious that it inay "bedone withinavery short time. I v I v While certain preferredembodiments of'the invention are hereinbeft' re" set forth, it is tq be clearly understood that the invention is notto be limited to the exact construction illustrated and described because various modifications" of -"the w rd' me m 'g5i'of's'a id end panels'having a corner f details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A radiator enclosure of the character described, including in combination, an end panel having a corner formed on a radius, means for I securing said panel to a front wall, said means comprising a bracket member having a body sec- 10 tion provided with side portions bent at an obtuse angle thereto, the angularity of the side por- '"tions with respect to the body section being such that the body section forms a strut element for saidfsideportions, one of said side portions being 15"provided with a clip formed by reversely bending the edge thereof upon itself to provide a groove, a flange projecting inwardly from the vertical edge of said front wall, the relation of said flange to said groove being such that when they are 20,,brought into engagement they form an interlockjjjngjjoint, for"holdingthe wall and the panel firmly together. v I W N 21'In' a' radiator enclosure of the class described, the combination with front and rear 5 walls; of an end construction "comprising a panel f fha'vi'n g' a front section and a side section joined by a "coi-ner f orrned"on a radius', the vertical edge of saidfrontj sectionfterminating in a head," in. 'f'terlocking elements, disposed between said rear flange and said frear' 'wall, a bracketmemberhaving a body s'ection'jprovided"with side portions bentat ano sefa'ngle thereto, the angularity of the side portions with respect to the body secticn being" such 'tl i atthe body section forms a strut 5 element ffor's'aid sifde portions, said bracket being secured within thecorner of the end panel formed ona radius, said bracket and panelbbnstituting a' pre-fabricated unitfa' clip -for n'ied'alo'ng the vertical ed e "region of said bracket, said cli j'being adaptedto 'i''c'eive' afiange projecting inwardly from the vertical edge region of the front wall, the spacing of said clip with respect to the adjacent 'vertical'edge of said 'panel being such thatfthe'opposingedges of the 'panel and wall over lap, "th'e' arrangement of said clip and flange b'eihg such"that"they"interlock' when the "flangeisinsertedirito the'clip by an inward and outward 'movernent'of the w'allflusing the clip and bead as pivotalpoi'ntsforsaid'moveinents. 3: In a radiator :enclosureof the character described, the combination of a front and amend panel having a corner ,formed on a radius and being providedwith a bracket member adapted to fit w nsa d .9 'ne s i b ck tm m ercomm 5 ing a body section having angularly disposed edge 1 porti ns. a i formede n b l e ii l edge region of one of said portions said, clip pein from the vertical edge region'pf the frpnt wall,

said clip and flange when 'infngagenieht constit uting an "interlocking joint "for holding" the front wall and end panel together,

I 4'. 1A radiator: 'enclqsurej comprising 'jfro'nt" and "re r wausi e a'eq y interwekingj end paneis; each a curve and beingprovidedwith attack Je beradapted to fit within said corner, sgiidbracket illjarl' disposed'edge pqrtions, one of said edge a han eimoi t s" r m ifi ptkins t iati 5. A radiator enclosure of the character described, including in combination, prefabricated elements comprising an end panel having a corner formed along a curve, means for securing said panel to a front wall, said means comprising a bracket member having a body section provided with a side portion bent at an obtuse angle thereto, the angularity of the side portion with respect to the body section being such that the body section forms a strut element for said side portion; a clip comprising a groove; a flange adapted to be brought into engagement with said clip and to be interlocked therewith; said flange projecting from one of said elements and said clip projecting from another of said elements; the relation of said flange to said groove being such that when they are brought into engagement they form an interlocking joint for holding the wall and the panel together.

6. A radiator enclosure of the character described, including in combination, a front wall, and an end panel having a corner formed along a curve, means for securing said panelto said front wall, said means comprising a bracket memher having a body section provided with a side portion projecting at an obtuse angle thereto, said body section forming a strut element for said side portion, said bracket being secured to said end panel in such a manner as to subtend the corner thereof, the positioning of said bracket with respect to said corner being such that an upper edge portion of the bracket supports the front wall substantially flush with the top edge of the panel and holds the bottom of said wall free from the floor, interlocking elements comprising a clip and a flange, one of said elements being disposed on 6 said bracket, and the other of said elements be ing disposed on said front wall, said clip being adapted to receive said flange in a manner to interlock therewith when the flange is inserted into the clip by a movement of the wall, using the clip as a pivotal point for said movement.

7. A radiator enclosure of the character described, including in combination, atop, a front wall, and end panels for supporting said wall, all of said parts being prefabricated, the end panels comprising a corner formed along a curve, a bracket member secured to at least one of said end panels in a manner to subtend said corner thereof, interlocking elements comprising a clip and a flange, one of said elements being disposed on said bracket, and the other of said elements being disposed on said front wall, said flange being adapted to provide an interlocking joint with said clip, and said front wall and end panel being locked together by a relative twisting movement of said wall and end, and a rest plate disposed at the top of an end panel and positioned over the curved portion thereof the top section having its outer corners fitted over said plate.

THOMAS O. MARINI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,706,028 Johnson Mar. 19, 1929 1,807,352 Tanger May 26, 1931 1,941,127 Blackman Dec. 26, 1933 2,005,898 Smith June 25, 1935 

